Man rejects plea, heads for trial in 2010 death

A man facing first-degree murder and life in prison if convicted rejected a plea Wednesday morning in Davidson County Superior Court in a 2010 death.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

A man facing first-degree murder and life in prison if convicted rejected a plea Wednesday morning in Davidson County Superior Court in a 2010 death.Dressed in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed, Phillip Scott Baker, 34, of 197 Montclair Drive, appeared in court with his Raleigh attorney, Mike Klinkosum. Baker, arrested in September 2010 in Tampa, Fla., is now awaiting a trial that is set for the two-week Superior Court session beginning May 13, 2013, for the charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon involving the death of 26-year-old Chadric "Chad" Lee Newsome.Baker is not the only one to be charged in the death of Newsome. Lecourtney Quandarrius Murphy, 21, of 119 Upton St., pleaded guilty Oct. 31 to accessory after the fact of murder and accessory after the fact of robbery. Prosecutors accepted a plea from Murphy, who originally was charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon as well, on the condition he testify truthfully against Baker. Murphy is not expected to be sentenced until after the Baker trial is completed.Superior Court Judge Mark Klass asked Baker if he was rejecting the plea in the courtroom."Yes, your honor, I (will) reject it," he responded.Greg Brown, Davidson County assistant district attorney, said Wednesday was the deadline for Baker and his attorney to appear in court and say whether they were accepting the plea. Prosecutors agreed to allow Baker to accept a plea that would have meant he was pleading guilty to second-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.If he would have accepted the charges, he would have received a maximum of 22 years, 9 months and a minimum of 15 years, 10 months for second-degree murder and a maximum of 8 years, 7 months and a minimum of 6 years, 6 months for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Baker now faces life in prison as he heads to trial, said Davidson County District Attorney Garry Frank."We'll give him a trial," Frank said in response to Baker's decision not to accept the plea.Baker and Murphy's charges stem from an investigation by the Lexington Police Department. The agency investigated a shooting that occurred in July 2010 at an abandoned home in the 100 block of Dacotah Street, near the property of the former Dacotah Mills.Newsome was shot twice in the chest before driving himself to Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center. He was transferred to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem where he died.Newsome was involved in a fight at 117 Dacotah St. The shooting was in an area where drug transactions frequently occurred, neighbors told The Dispatch in 2010. Brown has confirmed in court that there was a drug deal in progress at the abandoned home prior to Newsome being shot.Murphy, Brown previously said, was driving a getaway vehicle for Baker. He has said Murphy drove Baker from the crime scene to a hotel in Salisbury.Baker has a long list of previous convictions. He was wanted for months by Lexington Police before being taken into custody in Florida.Joni Grubb is Newsome's mother and is employed as a supervisor with the Davidson County 911 Emergency Communications Center. She was on duty when the shooting involving her son was reported. Grubb listened to the calls for help, but didn't learn until later her son was the victim.Grubb was in court Wednesday morning along with a number of other family members. Tamara Newsome, Chad Newsome's sister, said she nor any other family members were making comments concerning the results of the court proceeding.Klinkosum also said he could not comment on the case. Meanwhile, Murphy and Baker continued to be jailed in the Davidson County Detention Center under no bond.Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.